2017 the Most Expensive U.S. Hurricane Season Ever

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is officially the most expensive ever in the United States, racking up $202.6 billion in damages since the formal start of the season on June 1, according to disaster modelers...

November 28, 2017

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is officially the most expensive ever in the United States, racking up $202.6 billion in damages since the formal start of the season on June 1, according to disaster modelers. Worldwide, storms caused $369.6 billion of damage, the second-most costly year since 1960.

The hurricane season will end this week, and not a moment too soon. It marked the first time three Category 4 hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. in one season. And it spawned the big three hurricanes—Harvey, Irma and Maria—whose names will likely not be forgotten, and which set multiple records in their own right.

Hundreds of people in the U.S. and Caribbean died in storm-related incidents, although a final tally may not be known until the National Hurricane Center completes its storm reviews.

The final total was 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes—six of which made landfall in the United States or U.S. territory. Three of those six were major hurricanes including: Harvey (Texas), Irma (Florida) and Maria (Puerto Rico).